If you’re a business owner, you’ll know exactly what she means. Business owners wear many hats – it’s practically written in the job description, isn’t it? From marketing manager to accountant, we juggle multiple roles daily.
I was chatting with a client last week who said something that made me laugh: “Tanya, I started the day as the CEO, spent lunch as the customer service department, and I’m ending it as the IT support team. Tomorrow I’ll probably be the cleaner too!”
Sound familiar? If you’re a business owner, you’ll know exactly what she means.
The Reality of Running Your Own Business
When people ask me what it’s like running a business, I always say it’s like being a one-person orchestra. One minute you’re conducting the whole show, the next you’re playing the triangle in the background.
Over my 15+ years in business, I’ve worn more hats than the Queen. Marketing manager, accountant, customer service rep, IT specialist, cleaner, tea maker – you name it, I’ve probably done it. And I bet you have too. When business owners wear many hats, it becomes second nature.
Why Business Owners Juggle Multiple Roles
There are some proper good reasons why we end up juggling multiple roles:
Budget constraints are the big one. When you’re starting out, hiring specialists for every role simply isn’t realistic. You’re the marketing department because you can’t afford a marketing department yet.
Control is another factor. Let’s be honest, sometimes it’s easier to do things ourselves because we know they’ll be done properly. I’ve definitely been guilty of this one. But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way – you simply cannot scale a business to its full potential without delegating responsibility, not just tasks. There’s a massive difference between asking someone to “send this email” and empowering someone to “manage our customer communications.”
Learning the business inside and out means understanding every aspect. How can you delegate effectively if you don’t know what’s involved?
The Challenge of Multiple Roles
Here’s the thing though – whilst wearing many hats is necessary, it can also be exhausting. I’ve seen brilliant business owners burn themselves out trying to be everything to everyone. I should know – I’ve been there myself.
Just last year, I found myself completely overwhelmed trying to split my time between too many different areas. I was juggling family life, growing the business, exploring new opportunities I wanted to work on, running a podcast – essentially wearing far too many hats all at once. The classic cashflow versus delegating dilemma that so many of us face.
The problem isn’t wearing multiple hats. The problem is not knowing which hat to wear when, keeping all the hats on at once, or worse – refusing to let anyone else try them on.
I remember one particular day when I was trying to write a marketing strategy whilst simultaneously dealing with a customer complaint and updating the website. I felt like I was doing everything badly instead of anything well. That’s when I realised something had to change.
Managing Multiple Business Responsibilities
After years of juggling different responsibilities (and making plenty of mistakes along the way), I’ve learned a few things about managing multiple roles:
Schedule Your Hat Changes
Instead of switching roles randomly throughout the day, I now block time for different responsibilities. Monday mornings are for strategy and planning. Tuesday afternoons are for customer communications. It’s much more efficient than constant role-switching.
Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
I’m brilliant at SEO and strategy, but I’m absolutely rubbish at graphic design. Knowing this helps me decide where to invest time and where to seek help.
Create Systems for Each Role (And Do It Now, Not Later)
Each “hat” needs its own systems and processes. My customer service hat has templates and procedures. My marketing hat has content calendars and strategies. This prevents overwhelm and ensures consistency.
Here’s something crucial that most business owners get wrong – they wait until they’re “big enough” to create proper systems. This is backwards thinking and frankly, it’s what leads to burnout.
I see it all the time: business owners who say “I’ll sort out systems when I have more staff” or “I’ll document processes when I’m busier.” By then, you’re already stressed, tired, and drowning in work. You don’t have time to create systems when you desperately need them.
The best time to create systems is when you don’t think you need them yet. When you’re still small enough to step back and think clearly. When you’re not already overwhelmed.
Start with simple things: templates for common emails, checklists for routine tasks, or basic procedures for handling enquiries. These small systems become the foundation that allows your business to grow without taking you down with it.
But here’s the real game-changer: these systems massively help with onboarding staff because they have something to follow rather than everything being stuck in your head. Think about it – if you have one team member asking you questions every day because processes aren’t documented, that’s manageable. But how long do you think you can sustain six people doing the same thing?
This is why you need to think about your business structure well before you think you do. Create layers so people can go to someone else first. You’ll be surprised how much people can solve without your input if you only show them that’s what you want. Most staff actually prefer having clear guidance and the autonomy to make decisions within those parameters.
Accept That Some Hats Don’t Fit
Not every business owner is suited to every business role. That’s perfectly fine. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can plan around it.
When Business Owners Should Delegate
The goal isn’t to wear fewer hats forever – it’s to wear the right hats at the right time, and eventually delegate the ones that don’t serve your business growth.
This isn’t just about handing off tasks to save time. It’s about empowering others to take genuine responsibility for outcomes. When you delegate a task, you’re still responsible for the result. When you delegate responsibility, you’re building a business that can function and grow without you being the limiting factor.
Delegate when:
- A task takes you twice as long as it would take someone else
- You’re avoiding important work because you’re stuck on minor tasks
- The role requires skills you don’t have (and don’t want to develop)
- Your time would create more value elsewhere
- You’ve created systems that someone else can follow and improve upon
Keep the hat when:
- It’s a core strength that differentiates your business
- You genuinely enjoy the work
- It’s critical to understand for strategic decisions
The Many Hats Approach That Actually Works
I’ve developed what I call the “intentional hat-wearing” approach. Instead of randomly grabbing whatever hat the day throws at you, you consciously choose which roles to focus on.
This means being strategic about your time and energy. Some days I’m the SEO expert helping clients get found online. Other days I’m the strategic advisor helping with business planning. I’m still wearing multiple hats, but I’m choosing them deliberately.
Making Peace with the Juggling Act
Here’s what I’ve learned after 15+ years: business owners will always wear multiple hats. The trick is making sure they’re hats that fit you well and serve your business goals.
Some days you’ll feel like a circus performer, keeping all the plates spinning. Other days you’ll feel like you’ve got it all sorted. Both are completely normal.
The important thing is not to let the hat-wearing overwhelm you. Build systems, know your strengths, delegate what you can, and remember – even the most successful business owners started exactly where you are now.
Ready to Get Better at Managing Your Many Hats?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the different roles you’re juggling, you’re not alone. Every business owner faces this challenge.
Sometimes a fresh perspective can help you work out which hats to keep wearing and which ones to delegate or streamline. That’s where a business health check can be invaluable – helping you see where your time and energy are best invested.
Want to explore how to better manage your multiple roles? Let’s have a chat about what’s working in your business and what isn’t. After all, the goal is building a business that works for you, not against you.
Also it might be worth you looking at joining the FSB or local Chamber of Commerce for the local networking and support they provide.
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